Newcastle United go into Sunday's Carabao Cup final knowing they will be guaranteed a place in Europe if they see off Manchester United at Wembley.
However, the EFL have confirmed they will go into one of UEFA's newest competitions in the form of the Europa Conference League. Winners used to go into the Europa League but UEFA switched things around in 2021. It has also been clarified that being runners-up would not book a place in Continental competition with Manchester United also pushing for a Champions League slot.
Newcastle entered the old Cup Winners Cup and the old UEFA Cup as runners up in the FA Cup finals of 1998 and 1999 but these days extra UEFA spots go to league places instead, with West Ham benefiting from the rule in recent years. Eddie Howe would love to be leading United into Europe next season and stated earlier in this campaign his squad wouldn't shirk any challenge when asked about the Conference League, although since then the stakes have been raised for the Magpies significantly.
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Of course, Newcastle could yet end up playing in the Champions League themselves if they finish in the top four or even in the Europa League if they end the campaign where they are now. But victory on Sunday will at least book their first appearance in Europe since the 2012/13 season under Alan Pardew when they reached the last eight of the Europa League.
Should Newcastle finish the season in a Champions League spot or Europa League space their Europa Conference League place would be reallocated to teams finishing further down the table. Participating in the Europa Conference League would see Newcastle enter a play-off round offering a chance to go into the group stages, that would take place in the last week of August with the draw taking place on August 7.
Despite not having the same pull as the Champions League, the tournament was still good enough for AS Roma and Jose Mourinho to win it in 2022 when they beat Feyenoord in the final in Tirana, Albania. It is also a money spinner in terms of the prize pot.
The Europa Conference League is a little more quirky and should Newcastle end up in it they would be scrapping for Euro glory with lower-ranked UEFA member associations all involved. Some of the lesser lights of Europe get their chance to shine with the competition serving a host of cup winners across the Continent and those who scrape into the final European places in their domestic league.
The eventual winners net €5,000,000 while simply qualifying for the group stages banks €2,940,000. Victories in the groups are worth €500,000 and a draw is worth €166,00. Further funding is on offer to clubs who progress through the knockout stages.
The reality is that Newcastle are still in with a big shout of the Champions League this season - if they can hold their nerve. Despite only losing two matches this season a spate of draws and their defeat against Liverpool have allowed Spurs to leapfrog them in the table.
Crucially, Newcastle have a game in hand over Tottenham and must play Antonio Conte's side at St James' Park in April on a day that could be decisive. United's odds drifted slightly at the weekend with the bookies when it comes to qualifying for the Champions League and they have a price of 6/4 with Paddy Power now.
The bookies also see Liverpool as an emerging threat to force their way back into the mix for the Champions League. The Reds are seven points behind Spurs but have two games in hand.
Newcastle fans would have settled for a place in any European competition at the start of the season but with the Champions League within their grasp, the prospect of facing the likes of Real Madrid, PSG or Inter Milan has to be the dream ticket for success-starved Toon fans.
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